Our First Dance
by ari2266
Summary: Lady is a tough as nails bar maid,GOjyo and Hakai have stopped in for a late night drink. What will happen to the woman with the icy glare? Will her heart finally be warmed?
1. Chapter 1

"Just let it go Gojyo – she's not interested." Hakkai said in an over exasperated voice.

Gojyo growled, hackles bristling at Hakkai's tone. He wasn't about to give up on a woman just because she said NO to him... several times...

"No! I'm not giving up just because she's a frigid bi..."

"Pardon me?" The object of their discussion had come up behind Gojyo to bring them their umpteenth round. Hakkai cleared his throat, chuckling airily as Gojyo stammered, trying to regain his composure in the face of the irate bar girl.

"Uhhh... I was just saying that a lovely girl like you really needs a night off sometimes, and I'd be more than happy to..."

"...to take me out the back for a quick go round the flagpole? Thanks, but no thanks – I got morals, you redheaded cockroach, so why don't you just give up, back off and drink your damn beer?" With that, she plunked the mug down on the wooden table and stormed off, muttering under her breath about drunken, retarded perverts.

Gojyo growled audibly – he wasn't going to be talked to like that by some namby-pamby bar wench! Standing on legs that almost refused to take his weight; he straightened his shoulders, flicked back his hair and stalked over to the bar like an irritated cat.

"Hey! You! Look – I wasn't asking you to jump into bed with me, sweetheart – I was just askin you out for a drink – ok?" Opening his heavily lidded eyes to stare angrily into his intended prey's eyes, he found himself staring at the bar manager – a middle aged portly man with thinning, dirty brown hair, a strawberry for a nose and a beard like a tumbleweed.

"Pardon me?" The man rumbled, his overly bushy eyebrows twitching together like two mountain goats, ready to butt heads. The small, blonde waitress tittered behind her hand in her position under the barman's ample shadow.

Gojyo's face was a mixture of shock and disgust. "What? I didn't mean you – I meant the cutie that's workin' the floor tonight? Short blonde hair, blue shirt, tits ya just wanna..."

"You mean my niece?"

The thunderclouds growing over the bar warned the other patrons of the storm that was coming.

"Y..Your niece you say?" Gojyo stuttered, his face blanching to the colour of the underside of a fish. Funnily enough – that colour seemed to suit him...

The kappa gulped, feeling his impending doom near with every heart beat.

The bartender cracked his knuckles, the growl low in his throat as he flexed his considerable muscle, and towered over the 6 foot redhead. His eyes were shadowed, and his teeth bared. This man was MAD. Gojyo sweat dropped, looking frantically to Hakkai for help. The brunette man merely sipped is beer and looked on in mil amusement – obviously, he thought the kappa was about to finally get what he deserved for all his womanizing. Just as the storm was about to break over Gojyo's head, a small voice chimed out from the darkness of the bar.

"Um... Uncle... Its alright – he's was just kidding... he's just had a bit to drink... that's all..." A small tanned hand lightly touched the enormous mans hairy arm, and it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. The larger man began to shrink; his menacing aura dissipating as he turned his head ad looked fondly at his favourite niece. Still growling slightly, he turned away from the kappa and headed back to the beer tap, muttering about kids, perverts and 'keeping their hand's where he could damn well see 'em!'.

The woman with the pixie cut short blonde hair sighed, and looked up into the redheads crimson eyes, her own orbs sparkling with mischief. She quirked a devilish grin and raised her eyebrows at him as the band struck up a lively tune. The kappa looked ready to run and not stop till dawn, Suddenly, HE felt hunted! He gulped... suddenly thinking that maybe this 'frigid, namby-pamby bar wench' might actually be more than he thought.

"Fine, handsome. I don't feel like drinking – but how about a dance?" She nimbly leapt over the bar, landing beside him and looking up to his face from her 5'3'' height. Hands on her hips, she looked at him expectantly.

Smiling a shaky and uncertain smile Gojyo, held out a trembling hand, one eye on the massive barman by the beer tap. The 'wench' beamed, and accepted his hand with another tinkle of laughter. Gojyo relaxed a bit at this – her voice (when not insulting him in public) sounded like the chiming of golden bells, and he found himself enjoying the simple sound.

Leading the younger girl onto the near empty stage floor by the band, her hand in his and her smile so devilish, yet so innocent, Gojyo felt himself become.... warm. Wait. Was he BLUSHING? Shaking his head hurriedly, he spun the girl quickly so she faced him in the circle of is arms. She gasped at his quick movement, and blushed when his hand touched lightly, coming to rest on her hip.

The surrounding patrons cheered and whistled, each of them having jealous beyond measure. Practically every man and traveller had tried to get as far as Gojyo had with the pretty young barmaid. Each of them had either been initially rebuffed by her cold, insulting demeanour, or secondarily by her overly protective and extremely territorial uncle – who unfortunately for them, could not only beat the living snot out of them, but have them permanently banned from the only tavern in town.

Still though – each man had tried his luck despite the risks. Each had wanted to hear that tinkling, golden bells laugh, get lost in those sparkling, vivid blue eyes and hear that voice calling to them softly - the voice that could yell across a bar, or croon the most beautiful melody to wake the stars at twilight.

A few men sighed in envy, as Gojyo took the girls other hand and gently started to sway her in time with the music. "By the way," He rumbled, his voice deep and hypnotic, "I'm Sha Gojyo."

The young woman blushed, her own attitude to men like him leaving her at the sound of his warm voice rolling over her like hot toffee. She blushed harder, her eyes flicking from his face, to the slack jawed brunette man at Gojyo's table, to her Uncles brooding look, which promised trouble if the kappa did anything more than touch her waist.

"I... I'm Lady." She whispered, eyes to the floor, as she placed her hand on his shoulder and began to sway along with him to the melody, which began to turn slower and slower. Her heartbeat began to race. Gone was her icy exterior. Gone was her aversion to being touched. This man was a devil... and she was the willing sacrifice.

TO BE CONTINUED....


	2. Chapter 2

Lady blushed as Gojyo pulled her closer to him, his large hand warm, and comforting on her lower back, his other engulfing her own in the classic dance pose. She felt herself begin to relax, felt his chest press to her own as the music drowned out the sounds of the bar, how it flowed through her mind, and made her close her eyes. She gently let her cheek fall against his chest – something she had NEVER done, and never wanted to do, feeling that only girls from those stupid romance novels did that.

But... she began to realise how it actually felt.

Swaying her hips in time with his, she heard the deep rumbling of his chest, the feel of the hard, toned muscles beneath her cheek, and the warmth that he seemed to generate from his core. He was... a real man. Not one of these towns folk who _thought _they knew how a real man should act... but a real man – without even trying. She sighed, content in that simple assertion.

Gojyo looked down at the small blonde head leaning softly against his chest. He smiled gently, and his crimson eyes warmed from their usual sharp lust filled arrogance, to a more smouldering, caring glow. Something he only reserved for the really special ones. The ones that made him feel... like he was something more than what he was. The ones that made him feel like a real man – not a kappa. Not a hanyou. Not a child of taboo. Just HIM. Gojyo – the man.

Hakkai watched his friend from across the room, a small grin creeping up his lips as he saw the true happiness on Gojyo's face, that looked like nothing but simple drunken pleasure to everyone else in the bar. He lifted his near empty glass in a small salute to the young waitress who was now being held so protectively in the tall mans ' tanned arms. She had certainly managed to corrode his iron clad heart – that heart that reflected the lust most women threw at him, but never really felt anything for himself. Yes… this girl was definitely different.

The music died slowly, ending on a beautiful crescendo, which had most of the envious patrons on their feet, applauding the musicians. Lady tried to pull away from Gojyo gently, a blush staining her cheeks, but he smiled and pulled her closer, leading her away from the dance floor, towards the exit. She hesitated, knowing how things were supposed to proceed from here. After a dance, the men always expected…

Furious, she slapped his arms away, glaring at him as her eyes visibly brightened with unshed tears. The bar was dead silent. Gojyo stared at her with hurt, crimson eyes… what had he done? He had only wanted to introduce her to Hakkai, at their table over by the door…

"You're a jerk!" She yelled suddenly, spinning on her heel and racing for the bar. Vaulting over it, she sprinted through the back, disappearing into the night. The voices began to murmur in surprise, before the musicians decided to break the uncomfortable silence by starting a lively tune, drowning out most of the whispers.

Gojyo was stunned, his eyes wide in shock at Lady's sudden unexpected actions. His shoulder's slumped and he made his way slowly over to Hakkai, trying hard to look cool, and nonchalant. He had barely sat down, when a large, looking shadow rolled over him. Gojyo tilted his head back, staring up into the furious eyes of the bartender.

"Outside – now." Was all he said.

Gojyo gulped, swigging the dregs of his beer, before lifting himself to his feet, and heading outside. Hakkai half stood, pleading with the bear-like man.

"Please sir, it's not what you think – he wasn't going to –"

"Shuttup – I don't care what he 'wasn't going to', any man that makes my niece that upset deserves to have the living shit beat out of them." The bartender growled fiercely, successfully silencing the smaller brunette man. Hakkai nodded, and stood, heading outside after the enormous male, to stand watch for his redheaded friend.

Gojyo had taken off his jacket, and had tied back his into a crimson ponytail. He was loosening up his muscles and had a cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth. Hakkai heard the other bar patrons jeer at him, and place bets on how long he would last against 'the Bear'. Hakkai smiled gently, knowing that in hand to hand combat, Gojyo was a match for most Youkai, let alone a single bartender. He almost felt sorry for the larger man, as he threw his apron to the ground and cracked his knuckles menacingly.

Almost.

Gojyo darted in and under in a classic street fighting move, which the experienced bigger man clearly read, he blocked the smaller mans arm, and let fly with a swing of his own, connecting solidly with Gojyo's cheek. The crimson haired fighter flew backwards, landing on his shoulder with a dull crunch. Hakkai stood swiftly, worried eyes on Gojyo's form, chi gathering unconsciously in his palm. Gojyo turned and spat, holding out a hand, signalling to Hakkai that he was OK.

The brunette remained standing, his energy ball disappearing with a small pop. What had just happened? Gojyo knew better than to get in that close, and he was more than capable of dodging a blow that obvious – especially from an opponent that moved that slowly! So why…?

Hakkai's eyes widened as he figured it out. Of course… Gojyo was punishing himself. He too, had not wanted to see the girl upset. So – to make himself, and everyone else feel better, he was sacrificing his pride for the sake of the waitress. As the fight continued, Hakkai noted how Gojyo blocked the worst blows – the bone breakers – and let most of the rest land on him, giving the look that he was losing… and losing badly. He sighed. Sometimes his friends were such idiots.

Hakai saw a familiar flash of colour from a nearby alleyway, and decided to finish watching the already decided battle, and instead, follow his gut instinct. Gojyo fell to the ground for the last time, blood spraying from his mouth as he received a final kick to the gut.

"And don't you come back, you hear?" The bartender panted, sweat pouring off him, yet not a single mark on his body. He turned abruptly and headed back into the bar, a confused look on his face. "Go on, Bear! Finish him!" A couple of the drunker patrons yelled out encouragingly. The bigger man just shook his head, and muttered under his breath as he went back inside.

"He wasn't really trying anyway."

Lady had watched the fight from the alleyway. Her cheeks were still damp, and her clothes were wrinkled from where she had scrunched furious fists into them. She had exited out the back door to calm herself down, and had come around the side in time to see her uncle make the first connection. She saw how the younger man moved against her uncle. He _seemed_ a capable enough fighter, so why was he failing? Was he an idiot? "What the hell…?" She murmured.

"He's doing it because of you."

Lady squeaked and jumped, spinning around frantically, and almost falling as Hakkai reached out a helping hand and steadied her. She stared wide eyed into his calm, even face. He was quite an attractive man. Not so attractive as the redhead, but softer… more gentle. His voice was like a smooth honey to her ears. "What do you mean?" She gasped as soon as she regained her composure. She heard the yells from the bar that signified the fight was over.

Hakkai sighed, and his mask dropped, allowing her to see the anguished young man beneath it… he really must care for his friend. "Miss… I know it may seem strange to you… but Gojyo lost that fight on purpose." His green eyes bored into hers, the truth seeping into her.

_I knew it!_ She thought.

"But why?" She asked, concerned despite her anger at the man.

"Because he thinks he hurt you."

Whatever the answer she was expecting – that wasn't it. Lady's jaw dropped, and her already wet eyes brightened further as her emotions surfaced once more. "Well – what did he expect? I KNOW what he was expecting! It's what they ALL expect after a dance… I thought he was different…" She finished in a whisper, a single tear trailing down her cheek to her chin.

Hakkai's long, firm fingers grasped her chin, bringing it up so he could look her in the eye. A stern gaze met her, and she sniffed to stop further tears. "He IS different." Hakkai said softly, but fiercely, "He may give his body easily, my dear, but he does not give his heart. You managed to see a glimpse of that heart tonight – the first to see it in over four years. I hope you understand what that means to him, that you left the room crying after he let you in so close." He dropped his fingers suddenly, and walked out into the open street, throwing a final comment over his shoulder with a chilling, sinister smile,

"Besides – he was bringing you to meet me. I don't understand how that could make you so angry… do you?"

Lady's hands covered her mouth, and she clenched her eyes in embarrassment. IDIOT! She told herself, BAKABAKABAKA!!! It took her ten minutes for the twisting, guilty feeling in her stomach to recede to a mild ache, and another ten minutes for her to make up her mind. Yes. She would do it. She would set this right.

Squaring her shoulders, she exited the alleyway and stepped out into the dusty, deserted street. Her courage failed her for a moment, when she realised they had already departed. Heading in the direction of the nearest inn, and praying that it was the right one, Lady once again subdued that part of her mind that told her chasing after a man was NOT was she did normally. She argued with that part angrily as she stalked up the street, the stars twinkling down at her brightly.

_Yeah?_ She though to herself_, Well if I keep thinking like that, I'm gonna end up all alone… just like Uncle. And I'm not gonna be a alone… not anymore…._

…_. Not tonight…._

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To Be Continued…


End file.
